Single or dual electronic package with footprint and pin sharing

Abstract

A 6-pin electronic package includes a first side including a pair of first outer pins and a first middle pin, and a second side including a pair of second outer pins and a second middle pin. The first outer pins and the second middle pin are operatively coupled to a first circuit to provide a first function. The second outer pins and the first middle pin are operatively coupled to a second circuit to provide a second function. The 6-pin electronic package can be replaced on a circuit substrate with a first electronic package and a second electronic package that collectively include at least six pins. The 6-pin electronic package and the first and second electronic packages can be interchangeably used on a circuit substrate of an electronic device. The circuit substrate may include any one of the 6-pin electronic package mountable to the circuit substrate, and the first and second electronic packages. The first electronic package is mountable on the circuit substrate on a same footprint as the 6-pin electronic package. The second electronic package is mountable on the circuit substrate adjacent the first electronic package such that six pins of the first and second electronic packages share the same footprint as the pins of the 6-pin electronic package.

1. A 6-pin only electronic package comprising:
 a first side of the 6-pin only package including a pair of first outer pins and a first middle pin; 
 a second side of the 6-pin only package including a pair of second outer pins and a second middle pin; 
 wherein the pair of first outer pins and the second middle pin are operatively coupled to a first circuit to provide a first function; and 
 wherein the pair of second outer pins and the first middle pin are operatively coupled to a second circuit to provide a second function. 
 
     
     
       2. The 6-pin only electronic package of  claim 1 , wherein the first circuit is a single component circuit. 
     
     
       3. The 6-pin only electronic package of  claim 1 , wherein the second circuit is a single component circuit. 
     
     
       4. The 6-only pin electronic package of  claim 1 , wherein the first function and the second function are identical functions. 
     
     
       5. The 6-pin only electronic package of  claim 1 , wherein the first function is extractable from the second function. 
     
     
       6. The 6-pin only electronic package of  claim 1 , being configured as a SOT-23-6electronic package. 
     
     
       7. An electronic device comprising:
 at least one circuit substrate; and 
 at least one of:
 a 6-pin only electronic package mounted on the circuit substrate and including a first circuit to perform a first function and a second circuit to perform a second function; and 
 a combination of a first electronic package mounted on the circuit substrate and including the first circuit to perform the first function and a second electronic package mountable on the circuit substrate and including the second circuit to perform the second function; 
 wherein the 6-pin only electronic package when present comprises: 
 a first side including a pair of first outer pins and a first middle pin; 
 a second side including a pair of second outer pins and a second middle pin; 
 wherein the pair of first outer pins and the second middle pin are operatively coupled to provide a first function; and 
 wherein the pair of second outer pins and the first middle pin are operatively coupled to provide a second function; 
 wherein the first electronic package when present includes a plurality of pins sharing the footprint of at least three pins of the 6-pin only electronic package; and 
 wherein the second electronic package when present includes a plurality of pins sharing the footprint of at least one pin of the 6-pin only electronic package. 
 
 
     
     
       8. The device of  claim 7 , wherein the first electronic package and the second electronic package comprise a pair of 3-pin electronic packages. 
     
     
       9. The device of  claim 7 , wherein the first and second electronic packages comprise a 3-pin electronic package and a 5-pin electronic package. 
     
     
       10. The device of  claim 7 , wherein the first circuit is a single component circuit. 
     
     
       11. The device of  claim 7 , wherein the second circuit is a single component circuit. 
     
     
       12. The device of  claim 7 , wherein the first function and the second function are identical functions. 
     
     
       13. The device of  claim 7 , wherein the first function is extractable from the second function. 
     
     
       14. The device of  claim 7 , wherein the 6-pin only electronic package and the first and second electronic packages are based upon standard Small-Outline Transistor electronic package configurations.